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Dennis Finlayson, ISSS member, sent this to me to share with members and readers of ISSS. A blog post "Definition as a Coffin” – Cybernetics to Systems Thinking"

 

http://www.psybertron.org/archives/15807.   It is worth reading....

 

Yesterday I listened to Nora Bateson talk about her book from 2016. Well worth the hour to listen. I ma listening to podcasts as I go for a walk for an hour in these covid times. I especially like the last chapter on "symmathesy". I would be interested in your comments.

This year, because the Operational Research Society of the UK cannot do a face-to-face conference, it is arranging a free event that anybody can sign up for. Instead of regular streams, each topic area has a representative 60-minute session. The Systems Thinking session will be delivered by Luis Sambo (Visiting Professor, Centre for Systems Studies; Ex-Director of WHO Africa) and Mike Jackson (Emeritus Professor and Founder, Centre for Systems Studies). Luis Sambo will talk about how Critical Systems Thinking informed his leadership of the WHO response to Ebola in Africa, and then Mike Jackson will follow up with lessons for handling covid-19 today. Subject to confirmation, this session will be at 1pm on 15 September 2020.

 

One of the plenary speakers is Ellen Lewis, Visiting Fellow in the Centre for Systems Studies (and a 2016 graduate from University of Hull Systems  PhD program).  She will be talking about the systemic evaluation of development projects, with a focus on gender, environments and marginalized voices. Also subject to confirmation, this will be at 1pm on 16 September 2020.

 

More information https://www.theorsociety.com/events/annual-conference/

Over the three years of my time as President-elect, President and Past-President of ISSS I have worked with William (Bill) Smith to develop and use his approach "Understanding Lightness, Darkness and Color (LDC),as a Systems Language" to understanding systems in relation to ISSS as an organization and also to the development of Systems Literacy. Read more about Bill and his life's work at http://www.odii.com   

 

With respect to ISSS in 2020 Bill invited ISSS members to complete a color selection activity as a way to gather information about individual preferences.  He has combined  the individual results to produce a group picture as well as a male and female portraits. All three come with recommendations for how ISSS can make better use its purpose power relationships and achieve balance between male and female.

 

The results are posted here 

 

Media1 from ISSS on Vimeo.

The University of Washington, Tacoma School of Engineering and Technology announces its new PhD program in Computer Science and Systems: https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/institute-technology-intranet/phd-computer-science-systems 

While the core of the program will emphasize the CS part, I have a number of computer-based research projects in modeling language for systems, a tool set for modeling systems, and the design/implementation of an efficient knowledgebase for systems. Please pass on this to anyone you think might be interested in pursuing such a doctorate degree.

 

Contact for more information